I waited a minute at the bottom of the steps as I used my mind to try and spot Koma or another mutant. I received silence until I sat down on the ground, trying to tune out the whistling wind and the cold that had returned now that I was outside of our makeshift hearth. I felt the invisible limits of my mind make their way through the streets.

It wasn’t like sonar or any kind of location system I had ever used but I could feel more resistance in the directions where I knew buildings were. After a few seconds, I felt Koma’s thoughts and a mass of roiling screams close to him. For the first time I was able to get a peek at the Calforn’s mind and it almost broke me. It was like looking through three pairs of eyes simultaneously.

I quickly receded back into my own mind. Standing unsteadily, I heard the others make it to the ground floor.

“Get on Marvin, we are going. Marvin try to keep up with me,” I said to the mech.

“Energy draw will increase.”

“I understand, we need to find them. I think there is another experiment on their tail!” I shouted. Gamma and Delta climbed on the ATC while Beta stayed on the ground.

I turned to him to protest but he cut me off. “It will cost more electricity. I can keep up.” The look in the boy’s face was clear.

“Don’t lag behind Marvin, if I get too far ahead you guys slow down and try to listen for shouting.” Even as I was finishing that sentence I was moving down the street.

I concentrated on my rage, hints of fear and concern, again. The swelling sensation returned to my legs and I had to deactivate my helmet to pull in enough air. I shot forward, the whirling of Marvin’s repulsors thrumming behind me. It was several blocks before I was able to passively sense our multi-Calforn ally and the monstrosity following it.

Inhuman wailing filled the air as soon as we rounded a corner. In the distance I could make out Koma, Zeta and Epsilon clamped between his arms, running away from another blob of limbs. The increased presence of the experiments concerned me, but I pushed that thought out of my mind. I drew its attention with a mental shout, gritting my teeth against the nails-on-a-chalkboard like scream that responded. The blob veered in my direction.

Koma had enough time to set down the pair of Digits and get in a pair of deflating hits before the creature reached me. I remain rooted to my spot, a crazy plan forming in my head. I crouched, holding the point of my wrench towards the creature. I watched time slow to a crawl, ten different limbs trying to claw me to pieces, until I saw the opening I was looking for. I had noticed that in order to move in a direction the limbs had to move in waves, which left the body exposed for a few seconds after every wave.

I felt my legs swell again, stretching the suit fabric to its limits, and jumped.

It was a short jump, only about three feet considering how close the experiment had gotten, but it was effective. The extra strength from my leg mutation shot me straight into blob. I held my breath as everything above my waist got stuck inside the monster. It was a tight fit and I had my eyes closed while I felt the gore coated me, but I had made it. I began to dig around with my wrench, eliciting more wailing from the blob and several nauseating pitch turns as it tried to shake me out.

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Thankfully, I was space trained and also lodged deep enough that the creature’s thrashing actually made me dig myself in deeper. The seconds stretched out, but the creature weakened. After almost a minute of struggling against me it deflated completely.

Help would be good about now.

Moments later I felt a strong grip around my ankles and Koma janked me out of the experiment in one pull. I coughed and spat out the bits of monster that had gotten caught on my face. Once I had wiped away enough gore I looked up at the amazed faces of our group.

You certainly are an odd one.

I laughed. Some of the gore got in my mouth and I sputtered trying to spit it out, which elicited laughs from all the others, Koma included.

“Glad you all think this is funny. Damn, I need a shower.” I said. I stood and flicked more of the gore off my armor and suit.

“Well. The forest might be the solution. There is a river and a salt lake far beyond it.” said Koma while he motioned with his arms towards the forest in the distance. Everyone in the group turned to look at the man. The shock on everyone’s face was almost as great as when they found out there were more survivors on Dun Lund. Not even a second after Koma spoke, the Digits were swarming the man, asking questions left and right about the river, temperature, strength and such.

Help?

Oh no. That one is all you, I had some questions about the forest too.

I replied to the Calforn’s pleading. The only ones that had not swarmed him were Epsilon and I. After about of minute I asked Epsilon to call call everyone back. I had wanted to go ahead and head back to the base so we could head to the forest, but the day was mostly gone now that we had to fight an experiment and collect the second group.

As the Digit gathered the others, I asked Marvin to try to collect as much blood from the experiment as possible. The mech moved swiftly, using its syninge system to extract blood. After a few seconds of no suction, I noticed the ATC use its front limb to press the body up and down. A few seconds later, a stream of black crept up the small tubing.

I was amazed. That had been the first real indication of the AI using its machine learning. It had said it required a functioning circulatory system to extract blood properly, but maybe it was experimenting to change that. I watched mesmerized until Delta slapped my back.

“You’ve been spacing out a lot. You alright there?” he said. He was clearly concerned, the deep frown pulling all his face wrinkles together into deeper lines. The others were still asking questions, but the older gentleman of the group was checking on their would-be leader.

“Yeah. Coming to terms with some quite a few things,” was all the reply I could muster.

The man nodded, leaving me to my thoughts while Epsilon tried to wrangle Beta in. With the soreness mostly gone from my legs I jumped up. I figured getting at the front would draw Epsilon with getting everyone organized.

“Alright, guys! Since its a bit dark to head out now, we will finish scouting close to B1 and head out in the morning. As you all can see Beta, Gamma and Delta have fancy new shields. If you find some more of these metal chairs I can make more. Don’t forget we will need wood and rot in order to keep the fire going.” I clapped my hands, motioning for the main street.

The groups separated as they had originally and I returned to B. I was confident Marvin, Gamma, Beta and Delta could handle themselves. Before they headed out I told Delta to try to let the ATC fill up if they encountered mutants. I lugged the experiment to our makeshift graveyard, being the only one other than Koma able to manage the hundreds of fleshy pounds.

By the time I had deposited the body near its brethren I was beat. I had to enhance my body overall just to keep up with moving the corpse. When I made it to the top floor I relit the fire and dropped to the ground near the growing ash pile. I did my best to remain hopeful about meeting the other survivors as I drifted off to sleep.